The present invention relates to heat exchangers. More specifically, the present invention relates to the securing of manifolds to a heat exchanger core assembly.
Heat exchangers may be used in a variety of applications. Heat exchangers may be used to transfer heat from hot air to cold air and, more generally, from hot fluid to cold fluid. The fluids that can be handled range from hot exhaust gases to cryogenic fluids.
Heat exchangers are commonly used in aircraft environmental control systems. A typical aircraft heat exchanger includes a core assembly and inlet and outlet manifolds, the manifolds being bonded, welded, riveted or otherwise secured to the core assembly. The manifolds direct hot and cold fluids or air to and from hot side and cold side passageways extending through the core assembly. During operation of the heat exchanger, hot compressed bleed air is supplied to the hot side passageways and ambient air is supplied to the cold side passageways. Heat of compression is exchanged from the hot circuit flowing through the hot side passageways to the cold circuit flowing through the cold side passageways. The bleed air may be supplied by a compressor stage of an aircraft engine.
The bleed air is supplied at high pressures. Moreover, aircraft environmental controls systems are often operated at high altitudes and extreme temperatures. In such a hostile environment, structural loading on the manifolds can become unbalanced.
The unbalanced loading can cause the manifolds to separate from the core assembly. If separation occurs, the consequences can be catastrophic.